Bluestriped fangblenny facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bluestriped fangblenny |
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The bluestriped fangblenny (scientific name: Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos) is a small, interesting fish. It lives in the beautiful coral reefs of the Pacific and Indian Ocean. This fish can grow up to about 12 centimeters (5 inches) long. People also call it the bluestriped blenny or cleaner mimic. These fish often hide in empty worm tubes or other small holes in the reef.
The bluestriped fangblenny is a master of mimicry. It looks just like a young bluestreak cleaner wrasse. Cleaner wrasse are helpful fish. They remove tiny parasites from bigger fish. But the fangblenny doesn't clean. Instead, it bites the bigger fish and quickly swims away. Its special venom helps it escape. The venom makes the bite painless at first. It also makes the host fish feel dizzy. This gives the fangblenny time to get away safely.
What Does a Bluestriped Fangblenny Look Like?
Bluestriped fangblennies can grow to about 9 centimeters (3.5 inches) long. They have two main color patterns. Some are blue with a black stripe from their nose to their tail. Others are orange with two thin blue lines.
Unlike many other blennies, these fish swim freely in the water. Adult fangblennies live in clear areas of coral reefs. You can often find them alone or in pairs. They are known for being quite aggressive. They eat skin, mucus, and sometimes scales from other fish. They might even bite divers if they feel scared!
Amazing Mimicry Skills
The bluestriped fangblenny is a great example of aggressive mimicry. It perfectly copies the look of the young bluestreak cleaner wrasse. The cleaner wrasse is a friendly fish. It sets up "cleaning stations" where bigger fish come for a clean-up.
The fangblenny hangs out at these same cleaning stations. It tricks the bigger fish into thinking it's a cleaner. When a big fish comes close, expecting to be cleaned, the fangblenny bites it. This trick works best when there are not too many fangblennies around. If there were too many, the bigger fish would learn the trick.
The fangblenny has a very special way to bite and escape. Its bite doesn't hurt at first. This is because its venom actually dulls pain. The venom also lowers the host fish's blood pressure. This makes the host fish lose its balance. It's like when you stand up too fast and feel dizzy. This gives the fangblenny enough time to swim away. This amazing trick might be why other reef fish sometimes copy the fangblenny's look too!
See also
- Cleaner fish
- Cleaning symbiosis
